Heat setting of textile fabrics



8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1948 INVENTOR. Weldan G. Hefmus avg WFeb. 28, 1950 w. e. HELMUS HEAT SETTING OF TEXTILE FABRICS 8Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14, 1948 INVENTOR. glffldan GHEZmus yln'ay aFeb. 28, 1950 w. G. HELMUS HEAT SETTING 0F TEXTILE FABRICS 8Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 14, 1948 INVENTOR. Wf/Q WL G Hefmus 45 4 4 9 lidmvwy s 28, 1950 w. G. HELMUS HEAT SETTING 0F TEXTILE FABRICS 8Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 14, 1948 JNVENTOR. Wkldon 6 Helmus gwd Feb.28, 1950 w. a. HELMUS HEAT SETTING OF TEXTILE FABRICS 8 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed July 14 19 Feb. 28, 1950 w. G. HELMUS HEAT SETTING OF TEXTILEFABRICS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 14. 1948 INVENTOR. Weldon 6. Helm asFeb. 28, 1950 w. s. HELMUS HEAT SETTING OF TEXTILE FABRICS 8Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed July 14, 1948 Feb. 28, 1950 w. a. HELMUS HEATSETTING 0F TEXTILE FABRICS Filed July 14, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 BY aPatented Feb. 28, 1959 HEAT SETTING OF TEXTILE FABRICS Weldon G. Helmus,Rldgewood, N. Fair Lawn Finishing Company,

New Jersey 3., asslgnor to a corporation of Application July 14, 1948,Serial No. 38,713

Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the heatsetting of textile fab rics and is a continuation-in-part of mycopending application, Serial No. 790,679, filed Decembe1'9, 1947.

Certain woven fabrics consisting of or containing fibers made of certainsynthetic materials. and notably polyamides, are deficient. inter alia,in hand, drape and resilience. In order to overcome such deficiency andimprove the characteristics of these fibers, particularly with a view ofputting to use the otherwise advantageous properties thereof, such asstrength of fiber and elasticity, a setting" treatment is resorted to.This setting treatment as hitherto practiced usually comprises afinishing step for the fabric (consisting of or containing syntheticpolyamide fiber) and involves the heating of the fabric by pressing thesame against a heated surface with sub= stantially constant pressurebetween the fabric and the heated surface until the temperature of thefabric reaches a point just below the fusion point of the polyamide.Usually this requires heating of the fabric to a temperature whichordinarily should not substantially exceed 5-25 C. below the fusionpoint of the polyamide. The heating of the fabric under pressure towithin the required temperature for the particular specific type ofpolyamide should not ordinarily exceed in the order of 60 seconds. Thetreating conditions are critical in their interrelation withinrelatively confined limits and relatively small increases beyond theselimits of the heating period; treating temperatures or pressure mayseriously impair the strength of the fibers.

Various means have been proposed in the past to accomplish asatisfactory setting of polyamlde fiber materials on a production basis,utilizing the aforedescribed method. In one device suggested for thispurpose the fabric is passed between two heated surfaces, such as twoheated rollers, between which the fabric is placed under a predetermineduniform pressure over its entire width. Another device proposes themovement of the fabric along a stationary heated surface by means of abelt. In still another device the fabric web is carried over a roll,being pressed onto the same by a heated substantially stationary sleeveor shoe.

The hitherto proposed method and devices for the setting of polyamidefabrics are relatively cumbersome and inefficient in commercialoperation, do not yield desirably uniform results, and require arelatively high amount of skill on the part of the operator. They do notreadily lend themselves to the desired accurate maintenance and controlof the relatively critical operating conditions required for asatisfactory setting of poiyamide fibers and are encumbered by arelativeiy low operational output usually not materiaily exceeding 4-5yards per minute.

One object of the instant invention comprises, inter alia, theeflicient, high speed, heat treatment of textile materials andparticularly the heat setting of textile materials containing orconsisting of polyamides.

Another object of the invention comprises the efficient high-speed heattreatment of webs of textile material and particularly the heat settingof such webs of textile materials containing or consisting of polyamidefibers.

A further object of the invention comprises the eificient high speedheat setting of preformed textile materials containing or consisting ofpolyamide fibers and particularly the heat setting of womens hosierycontaining or consisting of poly-amide fibers.

The foregoing and still further objects of the invention will appearfrom the following description read in conjunction with the drawings inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional front view, partly broken away, of theconstruction shown in Fig. 2, and viewed in the plane I--I thereof, andpermitting the carrying out of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the construction shown in Fig.1 in the plane II-II thereof, showing additionally the front portion ofthe device as well as cooling, feed and take-up arrangements;

Fig. 3 is a side view of part of the construe tion shown in Figs. 1 and2 with part of the side of the outer housing broken away:

Fig. 4 is a top view of part of the construction shown in Fig. 2 in theplane IV-IV thereof;

Figs. 5 and 6 are side and top views respcctiveiy illustrating detailsof the driving arrangement for the rollers and scrolls forming part ofthe construction shown in the preceding figures;

Fig. 7 is a top view showing. details of part of the driving arrangementfor the cooling and pick-up roll as illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a side view, partly in cross section and partly broken away,of a further construction permitting the carrying out of anotherenrbodiment of the invention;

Fig. 9 illustrates a top view of the construction shown in Fig. 8,partly in cross section and partly broken away;

Fig. represents a cross sectional end view of part of the constructionillustrated in Fig. ll viewed in the plane X- K thereof;

Fig. 11 is a side view of a still further con truction, partly in crosssection and partly broken away, permitting the carrying out of theinvention:

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of part of the construction shown inFig. ll viewed in the plane XII-XII thereof;

Fig. 13 is a side view, partly in cross section and partly broken away,of still another interns. tive construction permitting the carrying outof a further embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 14 is a front view of the construction shown in Fig. 13, partly incross section and partly broken away; and

Fig. 15 illustrates a perspective view of one of the high velocityheating gas chambers and noznle surface thereof shown in Figs. 13 and14.

In accordance with the invention a heat-settable textile material issubstantially continuously passed through a heating zone. and preferablysubstantially at a rate of travel of about 36-144 yards per minutelinear speed, substantially continuously directing high velocity heatin:gas current, preferably of the order of mag nitude in excess of 400 feetper minute, of a predetermined heat-setting temperature for saidmaterial and preferably of about BOO-500 F'., (preferably for polyamidematerial about 400-475 F.) onto said material, while traveling throughsaid heating zone and substantially over a length of travel of saidmaterial in said zone to substantially expose each portion thereof tosaid heating gas current for from i to 10 seconds, and preferablysubjecting said material to cooling upon passing out of said heatingzone.

Within one embodiment of the invention. as for instance applied to apolyamlde fabric web, the

same is passed in substantially extended state through the heating zoneon an endlessly travellng web carrier, which preferably substantiallymoves said web at a rate of travel of about 36-144 yards per minutelinear speed. The traveling web should be subjected to heating withinthe heating zone from both sides thereof. If one face of the fabricrests on or moves over a support or hacking surface. supporting thefabric web substantially in its entire width between the self-edges.thereof, that backing surface should be heated to the predeterminedheat-setting temperature for the particular material to be treated, inwhich case the high velocity heating gas current is only applied to oneside of the movin fabric web. Alternatively, if one face of the fabricis not so supported. as, for instance, when freely suspended between thecarrier supported self edges, high velocity heating gas current issupplied to both faces of the traveling fabric web. In the absence of asolid support or backing surface, the application of the heating gascurrent to but one side of the fabric web, and particularly one of lightweight material. may tend to produce sagging. The preferred applicationof the high velocity heating gas current to a moving fabric web issubstantially in a direction transverse to the surface thereof. In theevent a roll is selected as the carrier for the fabric web within theheating zone, the direction of the heating gas current is essentially ina plane or planes substantially radial to the circumference of the roll.

Within the embodiment of the invention, as applied to pro-formed piecesof textile material such as womens hosiery, and particularly those ofpolyamide fabric, the pieces are passed through the heating zone onsetting forms secured to an endlessly traveling carrier preferablymoving substantially at a rate of travel of about 36-144 yards perminute linear speed. The heating gas current is then substantiallycontinuously directed within the heating zone from opposite sidesthereof onto the iorm-supported pieces of material as they move throughthe heating zone, to impinge upon substantially all sides of the pieces.In this case, the preferred application of the heating gas current issubstantially at an angle and preferably at an angle of 45 with thedirection of travel of the form-supported material through the heatingzone.

The term heat-settable" fabric or similar expression used herein isintended to designate any textile material containing or consisting offibers capable of being set (i. e. fixed) by the application of heat.into desired condition of modified characteristics.

Wherever in the specification and claims reference is made to polyamidefabrics or fibers or where such similar expression is used, the same isintended to connote any fabric or fiber consisting of or containingpolyamide fibers and specifically polyamlde fibers of synthetic linearpolyarnldes.

Figs. 1 to '7 inclusive illustrate one form of device useful in carryingout my novel method. As there shown, two rolls I and 2 respectively, aremounted within an outer housing 3. A branched housing 1 is mountedwithin the outer housing 3 and extends into curved branches defining theducts 5 and 5a. The inner surfaces 8 and 6a of ducts 5 and 5a define aheating space above the corresponding surface portions of the rolls land 2. The inner surfaces 6 and 6a. of the ducts 5 and to carry thenozzles 1 and la extending longitudinally of the surfaces of theirrespective rolls. The ends of the ducts 5 and 5a are curved downwardlyending in nozzles B and la. Bellies 9. la and I0 and Ilia respectivelyare arranged within inner housing I to properly direct heating gas tothe various nozzles in the branched ducts. Ducts 5 and to each carrybranched portions H and Ho. respectively continuing as ducts I! and lid.which end in the flared openings l3 and 13a. The axles I4 and Ma ofrolls i and 2 pass respectively through the flared ends i3 and ifia andthe adjacent portions of ducts i2 and no. In this mannor the flared endsit and 30. open into the center of the rolls i and I.

A fan It mounted on shaft i6 and driven by the chain drive i! from, forinstance. a motor (not shown). is mounted inside the neck is of thehousing i. Hinged baiiles l8 and ifla inside houslog t permit adjustmentof air flow through the branched portions created by the bellies I andla respectively.

The front portion 29 of housing 3 carries the trough section 1! havingthe slotted aperture 22 supported by the rounded angle portions 2!.Pairs of opposing burners 24 and 24a respectively are provided in therear portion of the outer hous ing 3, being supported by U brackets 80,"a bolted to angle brackets 8!, Bio. These are the conventional gasburners of the Venturi type comprising injector extensions 82. 82a,flared, perforated inner tubes 83, 83a and outer tubes 84, Ma carryingair inlets 85, 85a. Each pair of burnere on the some side is suppliedwith fuel gas by way of suitable connections such as pipe 2| andbranched pipe I. (I'll. 3).

A frame structure 23 is secured to the front portion of housing 3 andincludes crcss-supports 29. Ill and a and floor supports l sin. Theframe structure supports cooling roll as. shaft 33 for fabric feed roll:34, shaft 35 for labric pickup roll 36 and guide rolls B9. in and 772.Auxiliary frame 302) at one side of the frame structure carries thegears 38, 39 and sprockets 31, 4B and 400 on shafts 31a and 38a (Fig.'7). As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 7, shaft 35 is driven through chain63 by sprocket 31 on shaft Ila, which in turn is driven by the gear 38meshing with gear 39 on shaft 39a driven by sprocket 40, chain 4!, andsprocket 42 secured to the shaft I4 01' roll I. A second sprocket Illa,on shaft 19d behind gear 39 drives through chain 43 and sprocket 44 thecooling roll 32.

As may be seen from Figs. 2 and 3, the outer housing 3 carries theclosed side walls 45, rear wall 45. front wall 20, top wall 41 andbottom wall 48. Thus the entire housing 3 is completely enclosed on allsides with the exception of the slot 22 for the passing of a fabric webinto the housing and the removal of the fabric therefrom. The

top 41 of the outer housing 3 carries the fan exhaust 21.

The inner branched housing 4 carries the sides 49 thereby defining acompletely closed duct system for a heating gas entering through theopen neck (8 and forced out through the nozzle open= ings I, 1a, 8 and80:.

The construction of the heating rolls is illustrated, for instance, inFig. 1. As there shown, the heating rolls, such as heating roll 1, carryin their center the substantially stationary wall or baffle 50 dividingthe roll into two substantially equal halves. In each half a number ofcones Ia, Bio and 510 are mounted onto the central axle by way of theflanged supports 52. Each cone carries a central opening 53 and theopenings of successive cones are progressively smaller with the largestcone-opening at the outer end of the roll and the smallest cone-openingnear the center of the roll. The cones are mounted in spacedrelationship to the inner wall of the roll. Strengthening cross-braces54 are provided within the rolls at the outer portions thereof. Theroller shafts are mounted in the bearings 55 and 55a respectively. Aseries of scroll or expansion rollers 55, 51 and 58 (with conventionalexpansion grooving) are mounted within housing 3 and serve the properguiding, extending and/or positioning of the traveling fabric web. Theexpan sion rollers are preferably geared for a circumferential linearspeed approximately 5-2(l% in excess of the circumferential linearspeeds of the rolls l and 2. Gear wheel 59 (Fig. l) is keyed to rollshaft Ma and is driven by the meshing gear 8!, driven by suitable motor6!. Gear 59 meshes with gear 62 hearing supported and rotatable on shaft58 (Fig. 5). Gear 52 engages gear 54 keyed to roll shaft [4. Sprockets65 and 56 (Figs. 5 and 6) are keyed to shafts 56 and 51 respectively;sprocket 81 is secured to gear 82, freely rotatable with the same onshaft 58. Chain 58 establishes the driving connection between sprockets55, B5, and 51 for rotation of their respective scroll rollers. Sprocket81, keyed to lower scroll shaft 5?, drives scroll shaft 58 by way ofchain We and sprocket 8B keyed on scroll shaft 58.

In the practical application of the invention and as carried out, forinstance, by the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, a web oftextile material as, for example, on feed roller 34 (Fig. 2), is fed byway of the guide rollers 69 and ill s and scroll 5B the slot is and ontoroll i passing underneath lower surface 8 of duct E. The fabric webindicated by the numeral ll passes from upper roll 1 over scroll it andlower roll 2, passing the latter beneath the nozzled surface 8a of duct5a. The web passes from roll 2 around scroll 51 out through the slot 22onto cooling roll 32 by way of the guide rolls 12 and '53. The coolingroll is of the conventional hol low type provided with a circulatingcooling water system (not shown). The fabric passes from the coolingroll over guide 14 onto the picku roll 35 on shaft 35. Angle portions 23extend over at least the width of the fabric web. They are verticallyadjustable and are set with their smooth rounded portions tosubstantially tangentially engage the feeding and discharging webportions respectively. A guide roller 23a acts as a separator for thefeeding and discharging web portions and is mounted to essentially form,with the angle portions 23, a seal against the passage of excessiveamounts of cold air into the heating zone through slot 22. Fig. 2illustrates the operation after a new roll of textile material has justbeen started. In that case roll 34 is fairly full with the pickup rollit relatively small. The situation as it occurs near the end of theoriginal feed roll 34 is illustrated in dotted outline. In that case thefeed roll will be relatively small and the pickup roll will berelatively large.

The burners 24 and 24a heat the air or other heating gas within thehousing 3 and the fan 15 forces the air into the duct system of theinner housing. A portion of the air passes straight through and out ofthe centrally located nozzles l and la near the scroll 58. Otherportions of the air are deflected by the various baffles 9, 9a, Ill,Illa, being forced out through the various nozalas I, la in the ductsurfaces 6 and 5a of the ducts 5 and is. Still another portion of theair, forced into and through the duct system, is branched off into theducts H and lie respec tively, passing thence through conduits I2 and[2a respectively and out of the flared duct openings l3 and lilo. Theair issuing from the duct openings l3 and We will in part go through thecone openings, ultimately reaching and being deflected from the innerplate 50 to and outwardly along the inner periphery of the roll. Byreason of the inwardly decreasing size of the cone openings, a portionof the air is deflected by each cone along the baflled cone surface andagainst the inner periphery of the roll. The air flows outwardly alongthe inner periphery of the roll into the outer space 15 within housing;3, being thence drawn back into the fan l5. The nozzles I and la are soshaped and dimensioned that they supply a relatively uniform forcedheating gas current over substantially the en.- tire width of the fabricand the nozzles are preferably radially positioned with respect to thecir cumference of the rolls defining essentially radial slots extendingsubstantially across the width of the fabric web and substantiallyparallel to the axis of rotation of the respective rolls. The termperature of the air or other heatin gas is ther mostatlcally controlledto maintain a predetermlned temperature or temperature range, thethermostatic element being diagrammatically illustrated as I6 (Fig. 2).The air or other heating gas forced out of the nozzles and. directedagainst the traveling fabric web is forced out of the open sides I1 andlie and the open ends is and 18a (Figs. 1 and 3) into the space 15within QAQEMQ housing 3, being thence also passed back into the fan iifor recirculation through the system. After a certain period ofoperation an undesirable concentration of combustion gases and/ormoisture may obtain in the heating gas which is recirculated through thesystem. In that event the exhaust 21 is used to draw off any desiredamount of heating gas and preferably up to not in excess of Suitableprovision should be made for replenishing the amount or exhaustedheating gas. If air is used as the heatin medium the same may bereplenished, within certain limits, by outside air leaking in at variousplaces including the slot 22. It is, however, recommended to provide aseparate air inlet for the replenishment of exhausted heating air. suchas the hinged panel door 90 (Fig. 3). A conventional air heating element(not shown) is preferably positioned within the inlet for the purpose ofpreheating the admitted air. There will thus be a minimum ofinterference with the desired tem perature or temperature range to bemaintained within the system. In many cases it is desirable and ofadvantage to pro-set the exhaust. to a given rate and coordinatetherewith the admin sion of make-up air to thereby automatically provent undesirable accumulation of moisture and/or combustion gases.

The motor, such as motor Bl. used for drivioc the rolls is preferably avariable speed motor. q

for the given fabric and. a given finish to be oh tained and to that andshould be coordinated with the particular temperature or temperaiurcrange at which the heating is conducted. Thus a given treatment maycalled for a heating of the fabric at a given temperature or within agiven temperature range for a given period of time. The speed ofrotation of the roils should then be so adjusted that the fabric webtravels over the rolls and in and out of the housing in a period of timeassuring that no part of the web has remained within the heating zonelonger than the predetermined period. For this reason the provision ofsuitable cooling such as a cooling surface and/or an appiicator forfluid refrigerant, is important in that it immediately removes any heatfrom the fabric web that may have any continuing eifect and would thustend to spoil the results obtained within the heating zone.

Within the preferred embodiment of my invention, the textile material ispassed through the heating zone. i. e. in the case of the deviceillustrated in Figs. 1 to 'l inclusive, through the housing of thedevice at a rate of speed of approximately 36-144 yards per minute. Thetemperature within the healing zone is maintained. dependent upon theparticular type or material used, at a predetermined heat-settingtempera ture or temperature range of 300-508 F, and specifically forpolyamldo n'iaicrial at about 49! 475 F.. and high velocity heating gascrrreni: directed onto the fabric web as it iravcis iii-curl; theheating zone, preferably at a velocity of an order of magnitude of at.least 460 icet per minutc. Satisfactory results are obtained whencausing the heating gas current to be directed onto the fabric web at avelocity of an order oi magnitude from lilo-Quilt feet per minute Thelength of the heating acne so dimensioned that the goods are subjectedto the particular predetermined heat-setting temperature or temperaturerange for the material treated and at their particular speed oi travelfor at least 1 second but not exceeding 10 seconds.

instead of using a. multiple roll arrangement as illustrated in thedrawings, a single web carrier roll may he provided. This may be, forinstance, accoznplishcd by appropriately mounting an auxiliary guideroll Bl which permits the fabric web to be carried over a single roll.In that case, the labric would travel from scroll 56 over roll I andthence out of slot 22 over guide roll 9| direct to guide roll 13. Thisis illustrated by the broken outline of the fabric, as shown in Fig. 2.

In Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive, alternative devices are illustrated for thecarrying out of the invention. While the device of Figs. 1-7 essentiallyshows a web carrier providing a support or backing surface over theentire width of the web, the device of Figs. 8-ll shows the web oftextile maserial being carried through the heating zone on a pair ofendlessly moving pin frames holding the sell edges of the fabric web ina manner to substantially maintain and support the shape thereof. Inthis case, the fabric web is substantially freely suspended between thepin frame held self-edges thereof, and there is no support or backingsurface on which the fabric web rides, such as is the case in connectionwith the illustration shown in Figs. 1 to 7.

Specifically referring to Figs. 8 to 10, ill! indicates a housing havingmounted therein the wedge-shaped heating gas chambers Hi2 and lilia.Each of the chambers is provided with high velocity beating gas nozzles13 and "Ba, of the same type heretofore described in connection withFigs. 1 to T. The heating zone is defined by the space HM between theheating chambers I82 and IBM.

Heating gas ducts Hi5 and lflia are provided within the housing llli,supplying heating gas to the branched ducts I06 and iBBa, arranged ontop of the heating gas chambers Hi2 and iiiia. respectlvely. in opencommunication therewith. Thermostatically controlled pairs of gas-firedburners iii! and iflla are mounted in the heating space HIE.communicating with the heating gas ducts Hi5 and itia. Barnes this areprovided in the heating ducts I05 and ill5a at their intersection withducts Hi6 and Nita, to balance the supply of heating gas to the heatingchambers In! and Mia. A fan I09. suitably driven by a motor not shown)is mounted in an opening provided in the partition wall H0, separatingthe heating space I08 from the inner housing space i i i.

A pair of sprocket wheels i ii, on a common axle HE. is mounted withinhousing IN, and above the heating space IM. A corresponding pair ofsprocket wheels I He is mounted on common axle H30; outside of thehousing till, below the space defining the heating zone m4. Endless pinchains or belts iii and Uta are driven by the sprockets and controlledin their travel through the heating space [M by the rigidly spaced pairsof guide rails H5. Two pin brushes H6 (only one is illustrated) aremounted for brushing engagemsn with the pins on the pin chain or belt,one iur and adjacent each of the lower pairs of sprockets Hid. A web offabric material HT, unwinding ircm the iced roll H8. passes the web intothe over-feed device diagrammatically illustrated as box H9. Fabrictake-off guide 2031 is mounted adjacent the upper pair of sprocketrhea-sis HE.

A separating wall iii. mounted within housing Nil, defines, within thehousing iii. the cooling compartment I22, carrying mounted therein thewedge-shaped cooling air chambers I23 and 123m, supplied with coolingair through cross ducts i2 3 and I24a. Cooling chambers I23 and I23a areprovided with high velocity cooling air nozzles I25 and Hit: similarlyshaped and dimensioned as the high velocit heating gas nozzles I03 andmi e; The cooling chambers I23 and I231: are positioned to define thecooling zone I26. Branched cooling gas ducts I21 and I21a are suppliedwith cooling gas, such as air, through the centrifugal fan I28, and passthe cooling air to the cross ducts I20 and I2|a and thence into thecooling chambers I23 and I23a. A motor driven exhaust I29 is provided incommunication with the cooling space I22. Guide rolls I30 and I3I aremounted to pass the fabric through the cooling zone I26 as it is passedfrom the take-off roll I20, through partition slot I32 into the coolingpart of the device. Fabric wind-up roll I33 is mounted to reel up thefabric web as it passes out of the cooling zone,-guided by guide rollI3I. Exhaust i3 is mounted on top of the housing, serving to balonce theheating gas system within housing iiii, and to take off a certain amountof heating gas air in the manner and for the purpose illustrated inconnection with the similar exhaust of the device exemplified by Figs 1to 1.

In the practical application of the invention as it may be carried outby use of the device shown in Figs. 8 to 10, the fabric web is passedfrom the feed roll IIB into the over-feed device H9, and both edgesthereof are then pressed into the pins of each endless pin chain II4 byway of the pin brushes H6. The fabric web held in shape and position bythe pin chains at each side thereof and controlled by the rigid railframe II5, moves through the heating zone I04 and is taken of! the pinchain over the guide roll I20, thence passing through the slot I32 overthe guide roll I30 through the cooling zone I26 out of the devicethrough the slot I26a over guide roll I3l onto wind-up reel I33. As thefabric travels through the heating zone I04, high velocity heating gascurrent impinges upon both sides of the fabric being directed onto thesame, through the high velocity heating gas nozzles I03 and I03a inheating gas chambers I02 and I02a. The feed of the pin chains H4 onsprockets H2 and H211 is so arranged that the chains travel at a rate oflinear speed of from about 36-144 yards per minute. Thermostaticcontrols I not shown) are provided to substantially maintain thetemperature of the heating gas current to about 400-475 F. The balanceof heating gas current within the system and the force imparted theretoby the fan I09 supplying the heating gas current through the variousducts to the high velocity heating gas nozzles I03 and I03a, are soarranged that the velocity of the heating gas current as it impingesupon the traveling fabric web is in excess of 400 feet per minute, andpreferably between 400 and 0000 feet per minute. As the fabric is movedout of the heating zone and into the cooling zone I25, high velocitycooling air impinges upon the same on both sides thereof, therebyrapidly cooling the same and moving it out of the danger zone or termperature that might cause overheating or oversetting of the material.

The length of the heating zone as defined between the nozzled surfacesof the heating gas chambers is so arranged that the goods movingtherethrough are exposed to the predetermined heat-setting temperatureat their particular speed of travel for from 1-10 seconds. It isadvisable,

depending on the particular construction used, to include in theeffective dimension of the heating zone the entire path of travel of thegoods from the point of entry into the heating portion of the device tothe point of entry into the cooling mrtion thereof. The total exposureof each portion of the material to said predetermined heatsettingtemperature is thus limited, not to exceed substantially 10 seconds.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the device shownin Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive for carrying out the invention. As thereillustrated. there are mounted within housing 20I the doublewedge-shaped heating chambers 202 and 202a, provided with the highvelocity heating gas nozzles 203 and 203a. and defining between theirnozzled surfaces the heating space 200. A centrifugal fan 205, mountedon shaft 206, and driven by motor 201, supplies high velocity heatinggas through the branched ducts 208 and 200a, communicating with theheating air chambers 202 and 20211. Suitable heating gas control baffles209 and 209a are provided to adjust the balance of heating gas suppliedto the chambers 202 and 202a. Pairs of sprockets 2I0 and 2I0a areprovided. Sprockets 2I0 and 2I0a carry the pair of endless pin chains 2which are mounted on sprockets 2I0a to act as a web carrier through theheating zone 204. Two pin brushes 2I2 (only one illustrated), onemounted adjacent each of the pair of sprocket wheels 2I0, serve to pressthe self-edge of the fabric Web into contact with the pins. A webtake-off roll M3 is mounted near the sprocket pair 2I0a and serves toguide the fabric web 2 to the wind-up reel 2I5. The fabric feed roll 2|6 passes the fabric into the over-feed device 2i1 whence it passes ontothe pin frame 2| I. A pair of gas-fired burners 2I0 are provided in thefan housing 2I9. Exhausts 220 and MI serve to balance the heating gassystem within the device. A fabric web cooling arrangement 222 isprovided at the pick-up end of the device and comprises the housing 223,cooling gas chambers 224 and 225a, provided with the high velocitycooling gas nozzles 225 and 225a, and supplied with cooling gas throughthe ducts 226 and 226a, provided with the fans 221 and 2210.respectively.

In the practical application of the invention, by the use of a device asexemplified in Figs. 11 and 12, the fabric web is passed from the feedroll 210 to the over-feed device 2 I1 onto the pairs of endless pinchains 2 being pressed with the self-edges thereof into the pins bymeans of the brush wheels H2. The fabric web is carried by the pinchains or belts through the slot 220:; at the feed end of housing 20I.through the heating zone 204 and out of the slot 221a at the pickup endof housing MI. The fabric web 2 is taken off the endless pin chains 2IIby way of and over the take -off and guide roll 2I3, being thereafterwound up on wind-up reel 2I5. The endless pin chains are suitably drivento move at a speed of about 36444 yards per minute. The heating gascurrent is thermostatically maintained at a temperature of about 400-475F., and is forced through the heating ducts 208 and 200a into theheating gas chambers 202 and 202a by way of the centrifugal fan 205. Thehigh velocity heating gas nozzles and propelling force of thecentrifugal fan are so adjusted that the heating gas issues out of thenozzles 20! and 203a. to impinge upon the sides of the traveling fabricweb at a velocity of about 400-4000 feet per minute, the length of thezone within which the fabric is subjected to heat-setting temperaturesbeing so dimensioned that the fabric at its speed of travel passesthcrethrough in from 1-10 seconds.

The over-feed arrangement ill, as well as the corresponding over-feedarrangement H9 (Fig. 8) serve to feed the fabric in substantiallyslackened condition to avoid undue tensioning as a result of shrinkageduring the heat treatment.

As the fabric moves through the cooling zone 223a, defined between thenozzied surfaces of the cooling gas chambers 224 and do, cooling gas,preferably high velocity cooling gas. supplied by way of the propellinglens 221 and 221s, and the ducts 22B and 2280, is forced through thenozzles 225 and In to impinge upon the sides of the traveling fabric web2 and is then exhausted at 2220..

The devices exemplified by Figs. 2 to 12 lend themselves advantageouslto the application oi the invention to relatively loose weave fabricwebs, and particularly tricots. For these, it is essential that the heatsetting be carried out while the fabric web is substantially rigidlymaintained at a uniform width to avoid uneven shrinkage and theformation of an uneven wavy web. For best results, it is of advantagenot only to slightly over-feed the fabric. prior to its passage into theheating zone, but also to adjust the distance between the carrierportions of each pair of endless pin chains to allow for at least meanshrinkage in width during the heat treatment oi! the goods.

Figs. 13 to 15 show a construction for the application of the inventionto pro-formed pieces of textile material such as, for instance, women'shosiery. As there shown, 30! indicates a housing having a fan extensionsum. Housing "I carries side, top, and bottom closure plates 302. Twowedge-shaped heating gas chambers all and Mia carry respectively thehigh velocity heating gas nozzles M2 and 2a, and are arranged withinhousing "I to define between their nozzlod surfaces the heating zone3H1. A centrifugal fan 30! is mounted on shaft 303 driven by pulley 305.The fan Jill is surrounded by open-ended fan housing I!!! from whichbranched heating gas ducts I03 and Mia lead. respectively into theheating gas chambers iii and Illa. Branched gas pipe connections 3% and30hr supply the gas-fired burners 53 and Mia. Multiple hosiery supports30B are carried by the studs 388 secured to the endlessly attached chainmembers 3|! slidingly engaging the rigid rail mounted on the supports32L A cooling compartment 3 is arranged at the deliver end of the deviceand carries the centriiugal fan 3 mounted in fan housing ll! connectedto the branch ducts I43, and to leading to a pair of wedge-shapedcooling gas chem here 34!. The fan and duct arrangement of the coolingcompartment 0 are similar to the fan and duct arrangement supplyingheating gas current. The cooling gas chambers Ml are similarlyconstructed to the chambers iii! and lilo except that they are shorter.A separating wall 3" divides the heating portion of the device from thecooling portion thereof. an exhaust fan 346 carried by the coolingchamber NB com municates with the interior 0! the housing till ofcooling compartment 84%.

In the practical application of my invention as applied to pro-formedtextile materials such as women's hosiery, and as carried out by thedevice illustrated in Figs. 13 to 15, pieces of pro-formed fabricmaterial are placed on the multiple f rms continuously moving into,through. and out of the device. The forms continuously move with theirinterconnected chain members 3|! through the slide track 320. The chainmembers M9 are arranged in conventional endless band fashion (not shown)so that after they have left the device at the delivery end thereof,they are returned to the entrance end oi the device, An operator placesthe pro-formed pieces of textile material such as hosiery, onto theforms at the entrance end oi the device, and another operator takes theheat-set material off the forms as they come out oi the delivery end ofthe device. The conventional driving means for the chain f not shown)are so arranged and adjusted that they move the chain through the deviceat a speed 0! travel of about 36-444 yards per minute. The length of theheating zone through which the goods are passed is so arranged anddimensioned that for a predetermined speed of travel the goods are inthe heating zone for a period of from 1-10 seconds. Heating gas iscontinuously sucked into the interior oi the centrifugal fan 3!" andpropolled by the fan into the ducts 808 and 368s whence it is passedinto the heating chambers 2H and 3! lo and then out through highvelocity nozzles 352 and Ella. The propelling force oi the lam is soadjusted that the high velocity heating gas will impinge upon the fabrictraveling on the forms through the heating zone with a velocity of about400-4000 feet per minute. The high velocity heating gas, after havingimpinged upon the fabric, is deflected into the interior of the heatingportion of the housing Elli, thence circulating back to the tan Mil,passing the heating area Mia. The gas-fired burners I03 and Mia arethermostatically controlled to so maintain the temperature of thereturning heating gas that the same is delivered into the heating zoneat a temperature of about 400475 F.

After the goods have passed the heating zone Sill, they pass through thecooling compartment Mil. In the cooling compartment. a centrifugal fanill has its open ends in direct communication with the outside air.Fresh air is continuously drawn into the interior of the fan andperipherally propelled through the branched ducts 3'3 and in into thepair oi cooling gas wedges 3M whence relatively high velocity cool- 111gair is propelled through the nozzles 35!] onto both sides of thematerial as it moves through the cooling passage defined by the opposingnozsled surfaces of the wedges. The cooling air is then exhaustedthrough the tan exhaust 348.

When using a device for the treatment of preformed materials such asillustrated in Figs. 13 to 15 inclusive, I find it of advantage, asthere exemplified, to arrange the high velocity gas nozzles opening intothe heating zone, and preferably also those opening into the coolingpassage, at an angle with the direction 01' travel 01 the material to betreated, and preferably at an angle of with that direction.

Though air is the preferred heating gas useful in the practice of myinvention, it is possible and sometimes advisable within the dictates ofspecial conditions and circumstances to use another gas, and preferablyan inert gas, as the beating medium. This is particularly recommended inthose cases where particular tints or shades tend to heatmridatiou, inwhich case impairment oi the shades can be avoided by the use of anon-oxidizlog heating medium.

Though the invention has been specifically examplified in connectionwith the heat setting of polyamide materials, the same has proven usefulfor the heat setting of other textile materials, and particularly thosefor which heat treatment is conventionally resorted to for theprocurement of a particular result or finish. Experience has proven thatin many of these cases my invention has rendered such finishingtreatments more efficient and economical and less subject to operatorscontrol than was heretofore possible with conventional methods ordevices, and in many of these cases the use of the invention for thesespecial heat treating purposes has made it possible for the first timeto subject the goods to the particular heat treatment at highoperational speeds.

A specific example of the usefulness of my invention for the heatsetting of goods other than polyamides is, for instance. the heattreatment of acetates. In this case, a fabric web consisting of orcontaining acetate fibers is fed into, for instance, the deviceillustrated herein in Figs. 1 to '7 inclusive, -at speeds between 36-444yards per minute and a total exposure time of l---l0 seconds, with thetemperature within the heating zone between 300-360 F. A very desirablechlntz-like glazing effect is obtained in this manner. For the purpose,therefore. of assuring the greatest flexibility of range and usefulnessof a device useful for the carrying out of my invention, I prefer tohave the heat control thereof cover a range of from 300 F. or lower. toabout 500 F. or higher.

I claim:

1. Method for the heat setting of heat-settable textile materials whichcomprises continuously passing a fabric of such a material through aheating zone and substantially continuously directing heating gascurrent at a velocity of an order of magnitude of at least about 400feet per minute of a predetermined heat-setting temperature for saidmaterial onto the same while traveling through said heating zone andsubstantially over a length of travel of said mawrlal in said heat ngzone to substantially expose each portion thereof to said heating gascurrent tor from 1 to 10 seconds.

2. Method in accordance with claim 1 in which said heating gas currentis directed onto said material while at a predetermined heat-settingtemperature for said material of 300-500 F.

3. Method in accordance with c aim 2 in which said material is subjectedto cooling upon passing out of said heating zone.

4. Method for the heat setting of heatsettalile textile materials whichcomprises continuously passing a web of such material, while in extendedstate, through a heating zone, substantially continuously directingheating gas current of a velocity of an order of magnitude in excess ofabout 400 feet per minute and of a predetermined heatsetting temperaturefor said. material of about 300-500 F. onto said web, while travelingthrough said heating zone, substantially uniformly over the widththereof and over a length of web travel therein to substantially exposeeach portion of the moving web to said heating gas current for from 1-10seconds, while limiting the total exposure of each web portion to saidpredetermined heat-setting temperature not to exceed substantially 10seconds, and subjecting said web to cooling upon passing out of saidheating zone.

5. Method in accordance with claim 4 in which said web is a polyamidefabric web, in which said heating gas current is directed onto said web14 while at a predetermined temperature of about -100475 F.

6. Method in accordance with claim 4 in which said web is passed insubstantially extended state through said heating zone whilesubstantially freely suspended between the self-edges thereof, and inwhich said heating gas current is directed substantially onto both sidesof said web.

7. Method in accordance with claim 6 in which said web is substantiallymaintained at a rate of travel of about 36,444 yards per minute linearspeed.

8. Method in accordance with claim 7 in which said web is a polyamidefabric web and in which r said heating gas current is directed onto bothsides of said web while at a predetermined temperature of about 400-4'75F.

9. Method in accordance with claim 4 in which said web is continuouslypassed in substantially extended state through said heating zone whilesupported over substantially its entire width between the self-edgesthereof. in which the supporting surface for said web is substantiallymaintained at a temperature of about 300"500 F., and in which saidheating gas current is directed onto the surface of the travelingsupported web.

10. Method in accordance with claim 9 in which said web is substantiallymaintained at a rate of travel of about 36-144 yards per minute linearspeed.

11. Method in accordance with claim 10 in which said web is a polyamidefabric web, in which said supporting surface is substantially maintainedat a temperature of about 400-475 F., and in which said heating gascurrent is directed onto said web while at a predetermined temperatureof about 406-475 F.

12. Method for the heat setting of heat-settable textile materials whichcomprises continuously passing multiple pre-formed, form-supportedpieces of such material through a heating zone, substantiallycontinuously directing heating gas at a velocity of an order ofmagnitude in excess of about 400 feet per minute and of a pre:determined heat-setting temperature for said material of about 300-500F. onto said material. while traveling through said heating zone.substantially uniformly over the same and over a length of travel ofeach piece in said zone to substantially expose each portion of suchpiece to said heating gas current for from 1-10 seconds, while limitingthe total exposure of each web por tion to said predeterminedheat-setting temperature not to exceed substantially 10 seconds, and

. subjecting said pro-formed pieces to cooling substantiaily immediatelyupon passing out of said heating zone.

13. Method in accordance with claim 12 in which said heating gas currentis directed onto said ore-formed pieces to impinge upon substantlallyall sides thereof, at a velocity of an order of magnitude of about400-4000 feet per minute.

14. Method in accordance with claim 13 in which said heat--settablematerial is polyamide material in which said heating gas current isdirected onto said pieces at a predetermined temperature of about 400475F.

15. Method in accordance with claim 14 in which said form-supportedpieces are continuously passed through said heating zone whilesubstantially maintained at a rate of travel of about 36444 yards perminute linear speed.

WELDON G. HELMUS.

{References on following page) 15 16 REFERENCES CITED Number Name Date2,339,323 Feud Jan. 18 1944 The following references are of record inthe file of p t t: Conaway ADI. 1.1, 2,349,558 (Jfl'en May 23, 1944UNITED STATES PATENT 5 2,350,021 Dunn May 30. 1944 Number Name mtg D60.26, 3 4 Lorimer 21. 1 35 2.445.042 S IVBIm -n -Q July 13, 1948 1lBl'uciiworth ON".1 OTHER REFERENCES ass er c. 1515.556 Drawer Nov 11'1924 m Plocessing of Nylon, 511k land Rayon World. 1,158,234 Mijer May13. 1930 1945* page 1,970,180 Milne Aug. 4 19 Choquette, Rayon t. MonJan. 1947, 75 (31). 29 5 032 spooner Dec. 22 193 American Dyestuff p846., 2 7 Miles Apr. 23 194 Some Effects of y Heat Up he Properties 9,Lewis y 7 E5 of y n Fabrics, p g s PrOCeEdinKS 2,239,377 Miles July 1942Of the A Assn. of Textile Chemists and 2,325,060 Ingersoll July 2'2,194a

